Sheet-metal can



(Nb Model.)

E. 11011110151. SHEET METAL CAN.4

110. 255,012. Patented 1121.111882.

' UNITED rfSTATEs PATENT OFFICE.V

EDWIN NORTON, on onIoAoo, ILLINOIS.

sHi-:Er-METAL CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,012, dated March 14, 1882.

Application filed December 27, 1881. (No model.)

T o all whom it may concern:4

Be it known that I, EDWIN NORTON, of Ohicago, Cook county, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Metal Cans, ol' which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cans for packing caustic alkali and similar substances wherein it is essential to have an air-tight and perfect can in order to-be secure against danger of leakage anti prevent the usual loss and injury incident to the transportation and storage ofsuch substances; and my invention consists in uniting either the cover or the bottom ofthe can to the can-body by means of an improved double seam composedof an exterior seamless flange on' the can-body interlocked andfolded with the can-cover in the ordinary manner into a double seam.

Heretofore the flange on the can-body forming part ofthe double seam has `been drawn out and formed from the body of the can, so that the metal ofthe dangeis much weakened and destroyed in texture, rendering it liable to break or crack when it comes to be further drawn and folded by the tools in the operation of forming the double seam, thus causing an aperture through which the contents of the can may leak, and the action of the tools also, in laying oft' this flange, frequently opens the side seam of the cain at the flange, and even when this does not happen the laps or folds of the side seam make an uneven place in the flange, through which air may find its way through the double seam after it is formed.

In the present invention I form the exterior ange, which constitutes part lof the double seam,from an annular seamlessblankbystampin-g or turning its inner edge at right angles to form a shoulder, whereby the ange may be soldered to the can-body, such shoulder preferably being adapted to fit inside .the same. In this way it will be observed that the metal constituting the flange has in no way been dis turbed by the forming tool or stamp and retains its original texture, so that when the same is subjected to the action ofthe tools in forming the double seam there will be no danger of its giving way or breaking, and thus forming an aperture for leakage, and also that the ange is seamless and of a single unbroken thickness of sheet metal throughout, and therefore affords a perfectly smooth and even bearing for the cover, and insures an absolute uniformity in every part of the double seam when the two` parts are lapped and folded together by the action of the seamingtools, and produces with certaintya perfectcan every time, and one that can be relied upon' with safety.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation ot'a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical section of the same, showing the bottoni in position to be secured. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detail sectional views, enlarged, showing the double seam at various stages of completion; and Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the seamless tlange.

ln the drawings, A represents the body of the can, which is ofthe usual construction, excepting' that a crimp or shoulder, a., is formed at its top edge, so that when the thin inner cover, B, is crimped over the same and soldered or otherwise united thereto the seam b, joining the two parts, will only be linsh, or a little less than flush, with the exterior cylindrical surface ot' the can-body, in order that the removable slip-cover C may t over said seam and have a smooth bearing upon the canbody, the same as in cans having no inner cover.

Theinner cover, B, is made ofthin soft metal, so as to be easily cut away when it is desired to use the contents of the can, and the outer slip-cover, C,is provided as a protection to this thin cover, and because frequently only aportion of the contents of the can are used at once, when it is desirable to have a removable cover as means of closing the can after the inner cover has been cut away. To the other end of the can, the end through which it is filled, is soldered a seamless flange, d, consisting of an annular piece of sheet metal having its inner edge turned or stamped up at right angles to form a shoulder, d', adapted to fit inside the canbody, and whereby the ange d is soldered to the can-body. The bottom or cover D i'or this end ofthe canis provided with an annular groove, d2, in its outer edge, which is adapted to lit overv and interlock and be folded in with the seamless ange d of the ICO body by the successive action of the tools in formin g the double seam,asil1ustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings. As the stock ot' the seamless flange d. has not been previously injured or disturbed by the stamp, which acts onl'y upon the inturned edge d ot' the same, a very tight and perfect double scam can be formed in this way with certainty every time, and the can when thus closed can be relied upon with safety.

It is obvious that some of the advantages of my invention may be secured by employing a seamless can-body, in which ease the seamless ilange d could be drawn out or formed on the edge thereof'.

As shown in the drawings, my improved can is intended to be iilled through the bottom end, the thin inner cover, B, being first soldered to the body,and the slip-cover U applied, the bottom or cover D being double-steamed on after the can is filled. W'hen it is desired to open the can the slip-cover is first removed, when the thin inner cover may be readily cnt away with a knife or other suitable instrument.

1f the thin inner cover be made to tit inside the can-body, instead of over it, as shown, the crimp a in the top edge ofthe can may be dispensed with, as in that case the seam uniting the inner coverto the can-body will not prevent the slip-cover being pressed upon the can in the ordinary manner. This modified con struction is shown in Fig. 8; but I prefer the construction first described, as l consider the same both neater and cheaper. i

I am aware that seamless llanges have heretofore been used on can-bodies for strengthening the can and other purposes; and I wish to be understood as making no claim thereto generally, but only to the same as forming an element of. my improved double seam.

It will be observed that in my improved double seam the seamless flange on the can-body is an exterior one, and thus adapted to be acted uponby the ordinary rollers or tools used in forming a doubleseamfand whereby the flange and cover may be properly compressed and folded together, so as form a tight and perfect joint; and I am aware that heretofore, where internal flanges have been used on can-bodies for the purpose of stren gthenin g the can, covers have sometimes been secured to such ange by a seam or joint formed by applying direct pressure on the top ot' the can after the can has been tilled and I make no claim to aseam or joint thus formed, but only to my improved double seam, as shown and described.

I claim- 1. In a sheet-metal can, the improved double seam consisting in a seamless exterior flange on the can-body, interlocked and folded with the can-cover, substantiallyas shown and described.v

2. The combination of a can-body with an exterior seamless flange, d, provided with inturned edge df, soldered to the can-body, and cover D, folded with said ilange into a double seam, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

EDWIN NORTON.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, T. EVERETT BROWN. 

